Angler Kevin Wong, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA, guided by Michael Meredith, landed a 3.77 kg (8 lb 5 oz) Alfonsino (Beryx decadactylus) Oct. 10, while fishing the Norfolk Canyon off the Virginia coastline. Wong needed 20 minutes to land this bright red, large headed, large-eyed deepwater dweller after it hit his squid. Despite this fish species being found in temperate and tropical waters nearly worldwide, Wong’s fish is the first one to possibly qualify for a brand new IGFA All-Tackle record.
The very experienced angling duo, IGFA Representative Martin Arostegui and Captain Bobby McGuinness, went record hunting this past November in Golfito, Costa Rica, specifically for mullet snapper on fly. The two did not disappoint, with Arostegui landing a beautiful 2.04 kg (4 lb 8 oz) mullet snapper (Lutjanus arartus) on November 13, to qualify for the potential men’s 4 kg (8 lb) tippet class record. Arostegui needed only 10 minutes to land the fish after it hit his custom “Arostegui Pilchard” fly. Marty hopes to beat his own current IGFA world record of 0.9 kg (2 lb 0 oz) recorded in 2007. He also already holds five other tippet records for the species.
Johannesburg, South African angler Gregory Grant was fishing South Africa’s Zoo Lake on September 19, when he hooked a 9.53 kg (21 lb 0 oz) sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Grant landed his potential 60 kg (130 lb) line class record fish in 15 minutes using a small carp head for bait. The current IGFA record is 4.94 kg (10 lb 14 oz) documented in 2009 in Ratchaburi, Thailand.
Junior angler Chloe Marie Salazar of Long Beach, California, USA, guided by Thomas Patrick Lee, was fishing off Santa Barbara, Island, California, USA on October 23 when a 11.54 kg (25 lb 7 oz) California yellowtail (Seriola lalandi) hit the squid she was using for bait. After a tough 15 minute fight, Chloe landed the fish qualifying her for the potential IGFA female Junior record. The current IGFA record is 10.34 kg (22 lb 5 oz) caught off Mexico’s Baja Coast in 2004.
Arizona, USA, IGFA Representative Bo Nelson of Oro Valley, was fly fishing the Flathead River, in British Colombia, Canada with guide Kim Sedrovic, on August 19 when he landed a potential 6 kg (12 lb) tippet class record bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus). Nelson was using an egg pattern fly, and landed the 6.35 kg (14 lb 0 oz) bull in 10 minutes. The fish was released alive after being weighed, measured and photographed. The current IGFA record is 5.89 kg (13 lb 0 oz) taken from the Montana USA’s Kootenai River in 2003. Nelson already claims three other tippet records for the species.
Fishing a shrimp for bait with light line off Calatagan, Philippines, with guide Ismael A. Bautista, angler Emmanuel C. Flores of Quezon City, Philippines boated a 2.82 kg (6 lb 3 oz) golden trevally (Gnathanodon speciosus) Nov. 22. The fish may land Flores the new potential IGFA men’s 3 kg (6 lb) line class record which is currently vacant.
Stationed with the U.S. military at Chagos, on the small island of Diego Garcia in the middle of the Indian Ocean, light tackle angler Phillip W. Richmond, Jr., guided by Jo Jo, landed this potential IGFA All-Tackle white-blotched grouper (Epinephelus multinotatus) November 6. Richmond’s fish, which hit the Yozurki popper Richmond was casting, was landed in two minutes and weighed 8.35 kg (18 lb 6 oz). The current IGFA record is vacant.
